


Never Alone

by Squishy_TRex



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 02:18:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2834567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squishy_TRex/pseuds/Squishy_TRex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance comforts Mack after the events of San Juan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [callay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/callay/gifts).



> This prompt called for some Lance/Mack interaction, but it ended more in close friendship with other pairings creeping in. Sorry if it's not exactly what you were looking for, but the friendship is the main part, the other relationships are secondary.

Lance Hunter awoke in his bed with a groan. Rubbing his eyes, he looked over at his nightstand and saw the digital clock read 4am in bright green letters. He groaned again, laying back against his pillow. After a few seconds of waiting, and failing, to go back to sleep, he sat up. He looked over at his side, only to be greeted with an empty space, sheets still rumpled. Lance sighed and decided to get out of his room for a while.

He headed to the kitchen, itching for something to drink. As he walked into the room, he found that he wasn’t alone. Mack was sitting in one of the chairs at the small dining table, nursing a beer and looking despondent. Lance raised his eyebrows at the scene. 

“I think it might be a bit late to be drinking, mate. Or too early, if you prefer.” Mack looked at him briefly before going back to staring at his beer.

“Couldn’t sleep,” he responded, voice gruffer than usual. He then decided to stop staring and actually drink from it.

“Yeah, figured that out for myself, thanks,” Lance responded, as he opened the fridge and pulled out a beer, deciding to join his friend, who looked like he needed a drinking buddy, even if it was 3am.

“Mind if I join you?” Lance asked. Mack only grunted in response.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes,’” he responded, pulling up a chair across from Mack. Lance popped the cap of the beer with a nearby bottle opener and took a long draught, noticing how Mack barely seemed responsive to his presence. Lance sighed.

“What’s wrong, mate? You and I have spent plenty of sleepless nights together, but you don’t usually ignore me and stare off into space.” Lance was starting to get worried. Mack was usually the more kindhearted and expressive of the two and seeing him in this state of despondency did not bode well.

“Come on, it’s me. You can tell old Lance Hunter your troubles,” he said with a wink. “Been there for most everything else; we can figure out whatever it is that’s troubling you.” Lance reached across the table and gently brushed his fingers against Mack’s, which were still clutching the bottle. Lance wasn’t usually affectionate, but desperate times. At that, Mack sighed and seemed to relax uncurling his fingers.

“I haven’t been sleeping well the last few days,” Mack said, running a free hand over his face. Understanding dawned over Lance.

“San Juan?” he asked. Mack nodded.

“Look, mate, no one blames you for what happened. It was obvious some sort of alien mumbo jumbo grabbed hold of you,” he said, taking Mack’s hand in his. “You’re not responsible for what happened. And, this is important, no one got seriously injured. By you, at least.” Mack jerked his hand away and crossed his arms.

“They could have,” he mumbled.

“But they weren’t! Not even crazy aliens could completely get rid of your sickeningly sweet caring nature,” Lance said, leaning forward. “With the exception of Trip, God rest his soul, no one was killed. You didn’t kill anyone and got back to us safe and sound. With the state you were in that was…was more than we expected.” Lance blew out a breath.

“We thought we lost you. And after all the losses we’ve been through, I don’t think I would have been able to handle losing you too,” he said, rubbing a hand across his face.

Mack seemed to relax more at Lance’s admission, uncrossing his arms and leaning forward.

“I’m grateful that I didn’t kill anyone. And that I’m here in one piece,” Mack said, his gaze aimed at the table. “But I can’t sleep and when I do, all I see are fragments of what happened, what I did, and what I could have done.” Lance could see Mack retreating into himself and reached out to wrap a hand in his.

“I just wish I knew how to get all of it to stop, to go away,” he continued. “I keep remembering everything that happen and all the pain I caused and all that I can think is, what if it happens again? I don’t…I wouldn’t be able to handle if I lose my mind again and I can’t snap out of it.” Mack tried to pull away again, but Lance wouldn’t let him.

“Hey. It’s not going to happen again, not on my watch,” he said. “Or Bobbi’s. Coulson’s. That curly-haired scientist you always hang around. Anyone’s really, I guess, we all like you a lot.  All of us are going to do everything we can to make sure that none of that alien craziness happens to you ever again.” Lance fixed him with a serious, yet playful gaze and stared Mack down until he started laughing softly.

“You sound pretty sure of that.” Lance shrugged and smiled.

“Hey, I look out for my own. Besides,” he said, pausing to take another drink. “Pretty sure your scientist friend would kill me if I didn’t.” He winked. Mack blushed.

“There something between you two?” Lance asked. Mack avoided his eyes and went back to staring at his bottle, worrying the neck between his fingers.

“I don’t know. I thought maybe there was…something. But,” he blew out a breath, “after San Juan I’m not sure. I haven’t seen much of him since.” Lance raised an eyebrow.

“You sure you’re not avoiding him because you feel guilty?” he asked. Mack groaned.

“He had to pull a gun on me! I almost seriously hurt him! You know that I’ve had a lot of terrible relationships, but I never put any of them in danger like that,” he said and slumped back in his chair.

“I don’t think he’s going to be able to see ME anymore,” he continued. “just some crazy possessed psycho who almost killed him.” Lance could see misery starting to settle back in and hurriedly tried to stop it.

“You don’t know that,” he pointed out. “If you just talked to him instead of tip-toeing around, I bet you’d see that he still VERY much cares about you.” Mack raised an eyebrow.

“You know something I don’t?” Lance grinned.

“Maybe,” he answered. Mack shot him a confused look and gestured for him to continue. Lance fought a grin off his face.

“Maybe I had your scientist friend try and talk to me yesterday, probably the first time we said more than two words to each other, and he asked about you,” Lance said, taking in Mack’s reaction, which was nearing towards apprehension and a little bit of hope. “He said something about not seeing you around as much and wondered if I knew what was wrong.” Mack’s face started to lighten up, but was still suspicious.

“What did you tell him?” Lance shrugged.

“Told him you were probably being a git and still beating yourself up over what happened. That he would figure it out and come back to the lab. But,” he added, taking another drink. “I did promise to knock some sense in to you. Tell you directly that you were being an idiot.” Mack actually laughed at that.

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” he said. Lance raised his bottle to Mack.

“I try. If only for your sake,” Lance replied. “So you better get your ass down to the lab tomorrow. I’m nothing if not a man of my word.” Mack snorted.

“Yeah, sure,” he said, his face softening. He reached across the table to squeeze Lance’s hand gently.

“Thanks.” Lance waved him off.

“Oh please, I’ve done a whole lot worse for some of your other relationships. This was the least I could do,” he said, fighting off a genuine smile.

“Not just that,” Mack responded. “For everything else too.” Mack flashed a real, brilliant smile at Lance and Lance felt himself crumble. Never could fully hold it together when it came to Mack. They’d been friends for years and had been through so much, too much, together that Lance couldn’t see his life without him. He was never known to be an overly emotional person, but when it came to his friends, he was a downright sap.

“Yeah, well, it’s like I said. Always here for you. Can’t leave my best mate out to dry,” he said, sending a returning smile to Mack. Mack pressed a hand over his heart.

“Awww, I love you too,” he said in a teasing tone. Lance rolled his eyes.

“Git,” he responded and snatched his and Mack’s beer bottles off the table.

“Think we’ve both had enough,” he said, standing up to put them back in the fridge. “Especially for 4am.” Mack swore.

“That late? Ugh, not sure if I even want to go back to sleep at this point,” he said standing from the table and going over to Lance.

“Well, I don’t want to go back to my empty bed either,” Lance replied. Mack raised an eyebrow

“Hmmm, sounds like I’m not the only one with relationship problems. Trouble in paradise?” Lance rolled his eyes.

“Bobbi and I have always had relationship problems, if you call what we have a ‘relationship.’ Paradise doesn’t exist with her around,” he said, causing Mack to laugh.

“Whatever you say, man,” he said, still wearing a mocking grin. Lance rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time this morning.  

“Since neither of us can sleep and don’t want to go back to our rooms, how about we just go play video games until we crash?” Lance offered.

“Sounds like a plan,” Mack responded. And the two of them made their way to the den, spending those hours enjoying each other’s company and friendship, not worrying about anything else.


End file.
